Jack Grealish 'loved every minute' of Everton's Premier League win over Brighton in new stadium and wants to 'enjoy football'
Published 24/08/2025 at 19:44 GMT+1
Jack Grealish admitted that he did not enjoy football as much as he should have in his final days at Manchester City after Everton triumphed over Brighton & Hove Albion in their first game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The England international set up Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner to secure a 2-0 victory over The Seagulls. Grealish joined Everton on a season-long loan this summer.
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Jack Grealish admitted that he stopped enjoying football "as much as he should" during his last two seasons with Manchester City.
The England international joined Everton on loan until the end of the 2025/2026 campaign from Pep Guardiola’s side this summer in the hope of experiencing more first-team football.
Grealish arrived in Manchester from Aston Villa for a reported ÂŁ100 million, but his time at The Etihad ended with a whimper as he produced just one goal and one assist in 20 Premier League appearances last term.
The 29-year-old impressed during his home debut for The Toffees, setting up goalscorers Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner in a 2-0 win.
Grealish admitted he wanted to get that enjoyment back after inspiring his side to victory in their first Premier League game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
"City are one of the best clubs in the world, I don’t really know where people expect you to go [after]," he told beIN Sports.
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"Obviously, for me, this is a massive club.
"I think about the history of Everton and what they have done over the years and how they have always been in the Premier League and the fan base.
"It is a massive club, you know. For me, I wanted to come here and enjoy football, enjoy playing every day.
"Maybe at times in the last couple of years I have fallen out of love, not fallen out of love, but just didn’t enjoy football as much as I should.
"My family said it to me at times when I was home. That’s down to no one else, it is down to myself.
"I absolutely love football, I want to have that feeling again.
"You know that feeling when you wake up on a match day and can’t wait to get out there, that is how I felt today."
Grealish’s low cross found Ndiaye in the box for Everton’s first competitive goal at their new stadium in the first half.
The forward’s second assist came in the 52nd minute when he laid the ball off to Garner, who produced a sensational finish from distance.
It was a fine way to cap Everton’s first home Premier League game away from Goodison Park, and Grealish revealed he wanted to make it a day for Toffees fans to remember.
"It was incredible, it was so good," he added.
"Maybe at the start, there might have been a few nerves from people.
"Once we got the first goal, it was brilliant, loved every minute of it.
"It was a great day, we wanted to have our first game here in the Premier League and make it a special one for the fans and for ourselves and the football club.
"A 2-0 win and the stadium was bouncing, it doesn’t get much better than that."
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